Wednesday, May 8, 2013
Drivers who want to appeal a ticket might have to pay up to $250 in additional fees if Gov. Rick Scott signs a new bill into law. Do you think that’s right?
Hate red light cameras? If so, you might hate them even more if Gov. Rick Scott signs a bill recently passed by the Florida Legislature into law. The bill sets a new process for appeals that enables local government bodies – cities and counties – to tack on an additional $250 in court fees for those who try to appeal tickets generated by red light cameras and fail. It also puts the new appeals process into the hands of those very same local governments that would benefit from the additional fees. That means motorists who appeal and lose will no longer be subject to just a $158 penalty – they might have to fork over $408. The new law, according to The Tampa Tribune, was designed to streamline the appeals process and put more control in the …
Monday, May 6, 2013
A law that would have ended permanent alimony in Florida didn’t get Gov. Rick Scott’s stamp of approval. Do you think he was right to nix the legislation?
Divorced men and women across Florida got good news – or bad, depending on perspective – late last week when Gov. Rick Scott shot down a law that would have put an end to permanent alimony in Florida. Scott vetoed the measure with only four hours left on the clock for it to automatically go into law, according to Fox News. Citing concerns about the financial impacts the bill would have on Florida families and a dislike for the fact the measure had a clause that would make it retroactive, Scott told lawmakers he could not support passage. "The retroactive adjustment of alimony could result in unfair, unanticipated results,” Fox quoted Scott as saying. Had the law gone into effect it would have limited the amount of alimony a person could …
Saturday, May 4, 2013
The Florida Senate recently approved a measure that would make it against the law to text while driving. Do you think it will improve the safety of local roads?
They say the third time’s the charm, but for Florida’s texting ban five seems to be the magic number. A bill that makes it illegal to text while driving finally made it through the Senate and into Gov. Rick Scott’s hands earlier this week. Sen. Nancy Detert, R-Venice, has tried for five legislative sessions to get the measure approved, according to TBO.com. If Scott signs the bill, it will become illegal to text behind the wheel. The bill, however, doesn’t apply to texting while stopped at red lights or for those who are parked on roadsides. The fine for texting behind the wheel will be considered a secondary one and only carries a price tag $30, according to TBO. So, what do you think, Carrollwood and Northdale? Do you like the new law? …
Tuesday, April 30, 2013
The Florida Legislature has passed a merit-based pay raise that will go into effect next year.
It looks like Gov. Rick Scott’s promise to give Carrollwood area teachers a raise is coming to fruition, but it’ll be a little later than hoped. Both the House and Senate gave a green light to a measure that would give Florida teachers a raise, but instead of being across-the-board, the proposal calls for merit-based raises. And, while Scott wanted to see those raises go into effect in 2013, they won’t be happening until June 2014, according to The Tampa Tribune. Under the Legislature’s plan, teachers who are ranked “effective” will be eligible for raises of $2,500. Teachers who are deemed “highly effective” will get $3,500, the Tribune says. Scott proposed the statewide raise in January. Hillsborough County teachers are among the only in …
Sunday, March 31, 2013
Florida lawmakers are considering another 6 percent raise in tuition at the state’s universities.
Carrollwood high school students who want to further their education at the University of South Florida or another state university may soon find themselves paying more to get in. Even though funding for universities is up and budget cuts are off the table for the first time in years, Florida lawmakers are considering a tuition hike of 6 percent, according to the Tampa Bay Times. Over the past few years, tuition at Florida’s universities has climbed by as much as 15 percent as funding from the state fell. While funding is improving, lawmakers say the hike is needed to help offset some of the damage done during leaner years, the Times reports. Gov. Rick Scott, however, does not agree. He’s promised to veto any proposal that includes a hike …
Saturday, January 26, 2013
Gov. Rick Scott has a proposal to make sure the state’s teachers get raises.
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Saturday, January 26
Florida Gov. Rick Scott has a proposal that's likely to be music to Carrollwood teachers' ears. He’s expected to announce his intention soon to have state lawmakers set money aside to fund raises for Florida’s teachers in the 2013 budget. While the Hillsborough County School Board did approve raises for its 15,000 teachers and 9,000 other employees last year, many nearby districts have asked their teachers to go years without seeing an increase due to budget cuts. Pasco teachers, for example, have endured six years of budget cycles without seeing a raise, according to The Tampa Tribune. Those teachers have also had unpaid furlough days added to their plates. How much of a raise Scott’s proposal will include remains to be seen. Details of …
Monday, January 7, 2013
Florida's governor is 'not so good' or 'poor' on the job, according to 42 percent of the respondents in a newly released poll.
A newly released poll shows that Gov. Rick Scott is not winning any popularity contests in Tampa Bay's two largest counties, according to the Tampa Bay Times. Most of the respondents surveyed in Pinellas and Hillsborough counties rated Florida's governor as "poor" or "not so good." A little more than a quarter ranked Scott as just "average." Less than a quarter thought the governor does a "good" or "excellent" job, according to the Tampa Bay Times-Bay News 9-AM 820 poll. What do you think? Is the governor doing a good job running the state? Share your thoughts in the comments below. Here's a closer look at the numbers: According to the Tampa Bay Times: Of the two counties, Scott's numbers are substantially worse in Pinellas. While 33 …
Monday, November 12, 2012
Former Gov. Charlie Crist increasingly is blasting Gov. Rick Scott over how he is running the state of Florida.
The 2012 election is barely in the books and already Florida politicos are turning their eyes to 2014, especially Democrats hungry to take back the Governor's mansion from the Republicans. Increasingly, Democrats appear ready to embrace former Republican Gov. Charlie Crist as their best chance at winning in 2014. At the same time, Crist is taking a more vocal role in criticizing Gov. Rick Scott, even taking to Twitter to blast Scott's controversial decision not to extend early voting during the presidential election. Crist certainly is a topic of news and speculation across Florida. Here is a sampling: AS DEMOCRATS TURN TO 2014, CHARLIE CRIST EMERGES AS MOST VOCAL OPPONENT OF RICK SCOTT by Mary Ellen Klas of the Miami Herald The populist…
Friday, August 24, 2012
It's too early to know with certainty. Tampa is still in the cone of possible tracks, but Isaac may arrive west of Tampa Bay early next week.
We're not in the clear just yet. At 8 a.m. today, Tropical Storm Isaac churned at sea, just south of Haiti, where a hurricane watch is in effect. The National Weather Service expects the storm to crawl at about 15 mph toward Florida, crossing Cuba Sunday morning. But hurricane officials are not anticipating a direct hit on the Tampa Bay region. If current projections stand, Isaac will arrive west of Tampa Bay after midnight Tuesday as a Category 1 hurricane. There is a chance that Isaac will impact Florida's panhandle next week. Of course, all that may change with the unpredictability of the storm as it edges closer to landfall, hurricane officials said. According to National Weather Service meteorologist Nicole Carlisle, the Tampa Bay …
Monday, July 2, 2012
Florida Gov. Rick Scott said despite the Supreme Court's ruling, Florida would not comply with President Barack Obama's Affordable Care Act.
Despite a 5-4 ruling by the Supreme Court that President Barack Obama's Affordable Care Act is constitutional, Florida Gov. Rick Scott said the Sunshine State would not comply with two parts of the law. The two provisions Scott said Florida would not comply with are the expansion of Medicaid for the poor and creating a private insurance exchange. According to the news service Reuters; Scott said expansion of Medicaid, which provides healthcare for the poor, would cost $1.9 billion while the state has other health programs in place. Premiums would rise on the insurance exchange, he said. “Floridians are interested in jobs and economic growth, a quality education for their children, and keeping the cost of living low,” Scott said in a news…
Louis Amandola
10:20 am on Monday, May 13, 2013
I concur with Mr. Walkers statement. However, we 'the sheeple' must endure the consequences of those that 'we the sheeple' PUT INTO OFFICE in Tallahassee. more ›